Filament winding control



, Jan. 30, 1968- F. J. ZAVASNIK ETAL FILAMENT WINDING CONTROL 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 21, 1965 IOZ 30% NEUTRAL INVIZN'IYJRS F. J.ZAVASNIK G. E. MADER, JR.

R. O. WELTY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,366,341 FILANIENT WINDINGCONTROL Fredrick J. Zavasnik, George E. Mader, Jr., and Richard O.Welty, Bartlesville, 0kla., assiguors to Phillips Petroleum Company, acorporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 500,425 3 Claims.(Cl. 242-45) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A controller for adjusting thetorque of a winding mo tor connected to a support member, the torquebeing adjusted in response to the amount of material wound upon thesupport member, the controller comprising a guide means for applyingmaterial to he wound on the support member, said guide means beingadapted to temporarily actuate a switch after a predetermined amount ofmaterial has been wound upon the support member, a reversible, high slipmotor connected to the switch, means for controlling the power input tothe motor, and means connecting the high slip motor and the means forcontrolling the power input to the motor so that upon each operation ofthe high slip motor adjustment is made to vary the power input to themotor in relation to the amount of material wound upon the supportmember.

This invention relates to apparatus for controlling the power output ofa motor means.

Although, for the sake of brevity, this invention will be describedrelative to the winding of filament upon a spool or support member, itshould be noted that this invention is broadly applicable to motorcontroller means in general.

Heretofore, in order to control the tension on a filament or the likebeing wound on a spool the torque of the motor turning the spool hasbeen controlled by varying the voltage input to that motor in responseto the thickness of filament wrapped upon the spool. Heretofore, thevoltage has been varied by mechanical means employing a rider arm whichcontacts the surface of the filament on the spool and which ridesupwardly as that thickness increases. The use of rider arms or othermeans in contact with the surface of the wound filament is undesirablein many aspects since the rider arm must necessarily interfere directlyin the winding operation in the area of the rapidly rotating spool.Further, such rider arms provide mechanical interference when startingthe winding operation on an empty spool and when removing a full spool.

It has now been found that a suitable control means which does notcontact directly the wound filaments nor interfere directly with thewinding operation but which still accurately controls the spool drivingmotor in response to the amount of filament wound on the spool iseffected when there is employed a guide means for uniformly applyingmaterial to the support member (spool) which guide means is associatedwith a switch means and is adapted to periodically and temporarilyactuate the switch means after a predetermined amount of material hasbeen placed upon the support member. The switch means is in turnoperatively connected to a reversible, high slip motor capable ofdynamically braking itself and of being installed indefinitely in thebraked position. The high slip motor has associated therewith means foroperating same for a finite period of time after each temporaryactuation of the switch means and also is operatively connected to anadjustable means for controlling the power input to the motor meanswhich drives the support member. Thus, upon each separate operationperiod of the high slip motor, in response to the temporary actuation ofthe switch means by the guide means, the adjustable means 3,366,341Patented Jan. 30, 1968 is adjusted to vary the output, e.g. increase thetorque, of the support member drive motor as the amount of filamentwrapped upon that support member changes, e.g. increases.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new andimproved apparatus for controlling the power output of a motor means.

Other aspects, objects and the several advantages of this invention willbe apparent to those skilled in the art from the description, thedrawings, and the appended claims.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown a system embodying th apparatus of thisinvention.

In FIGURE 2 there is shown an electrical system for operating theapparatus of FIGURE 1.

In FIGURE 1 spool 1 is operatively connected through shaft 2 to gear 3.Gear 3 is meshed with gear 4 which gear is operatively connected todrive motor 5 through shaft 6. Motor 5 can be any conventional constanttorque, i.e. the torque varies with the applied voltage motor such asthat made by Howell Electric Motor Company, Howell, Mich. A preferredmotor has the following specifications: 32 oz./ ft. torque, synchronousr.p.m. 1200, three phase, cycle, 440 volts, .83 amp.

A level winding guide means generally shown as 7 is supported on top offrame 8 and is composed of a cylinder 9 having therein a piston 10 andmeans for reciprocating said piston from one end of cylinder 9 to theopposite end and back again. Such reciprocation means are well known inthe art and therefore not shown but, for example, can employ alternatingair pressure supplied through conduits 11 and 12 in a conventionalmanner. Piston 10 carries horizontal support arm 13 to the opposite endof which is connected vertical support arm 14. Arm 14 has attachedthereto rotatable guide member 15 over which filament 16 is guided priorto being wound upon spool 1.

Thus, in operation, as spool 1 is rotated by drive motor 5 piston 10 isreciprocated within cylinder 9 so that guide 15 passes back and forthalong the full length of spool 1 thereby laying down successive uniformlayers of filament. Piston 10 also carries a trip arm 20 which isadapted to coact and temporarily actuate microswitch'21 which is fixedto end 22 of section 9. Switch 21 is operatively connected throughelectrical conduits 23 and 24 to the automatic voltage control unit 25which will be explained in detail with reference to FIGURE 2.

Control unit 25 is operatively connected through electrical conduits(not shown) to stepping (high slip) motor 26. Control unit 25 isadapted, upon temporary actuation of switch 21 to operate stepping motor26 for a finite but adjustable length of time after which stepping motor26 is stopped until switch 21 is again actuated.

Stepping motor 26 can be any type of conventional motor which isinstantly reversible, i.e. can drive a member in either a clockwise orcounter clockwise manner at any time, high slip dynamic braking, i.e.can be made to stop itself immediately upon being taken out of circuit,motor. Two presently primary requirements for such a motor is that itcan be promptly reversed in its direction of rotation and it can bedynamically braked while its windings remain energized.

The dynamic braking is effected by putting the windings that rotate themotor drive shaft in both directions in phase so that they instantlybuck one another, stop the motors rotation and thereafter maintain itstopped even though the windings remain energized. To restart the motora phase lag is reirnposed between the windings.

A preferred type of motor is the type K-Z produced by the BodineElectric Company, and, more particularly, is the type KCI22RM-B826E1800Mwhich has a speed of 0.7 r.p.m. and operates on 115 volt alternatingcurrent. This type of motor employs a capacitor between its clockwiserotating windings and its counter clockwise windings so that when thecapacitor is taken out of the circuit the clockwise and counterclockwise windings are put in phase and the motor dynamically brakesitself and can be kept in this stalled position for an indefinite timenotwithstanding the fact that its windings are still energized. Othersimilar motors having the same characteristics of operation can beemployed.

Stepping motor-26 is operatively connected mechanically or otherwisethrough shaft 27 to adjustable means 28. Adjustable means 28 can be anyconventional means for controlling the voltage or other input to motor5, eg a variable resistor, an autotransformer, and the like. Adjustablemeans 28 is operatively connected to motor by electric conduits 29 and30.

A microswitch or microswitches 31 are operatively connected to controlunit and to stepping motor 26 through arm 32 so as to limit the extentof rotation of shaft 27 in either. the clockwise or counter clockwisedirection especially upon resetting of the adjustable means 28 after afirst spool 1 has been filled, removed, and a seconcl empty spool 1 hasbeen placed on shaft 2 and is ready to be filled with filament 16.

FIGURE 2 shows shaft 27 of stepping motor 26 operatively connected togear which in turn is matched with gear 41 which gear is fixed to shaft42. Shaft 42'rotatably carries contact arm 43 which is in electricalcontact with resistor 44. Electrical conduits 45 and 46, 47 being thebasic on-off switch for the system, are connected to motor 5, resistor44, and shaft 42.

By conventional electrical means (not shown) when motor 5 is operating,coil 50 of relay 51 is energized which energization transfers switches52 and 53 from their normal positions against contacts 54 and 55 intoposition against contact-s 56 and 57. Thus, current is passed from hotline 58 through lines 59, 60, and 61 to rectifier 62. Rectifier 62converts the alternating current to direct current and can be any typeof conventional rectifier such as International Rectifier Type 5A6. Thedirect current is passed through line 63, switch 64, line 65,

switch 21 and line 67 to charge capacitor 68. Capacitor 68 can be of anyconventional type, for example a 40 microfarad unit operating on 350volts direct current. Switches 69 and 70 in relay 71 are normally in theposition shown in FIGURE 2. Thus, line 72 which bypasses capacitor 68is-disconnected from the circuit while capacitor 68 is being charged.

When microswitch 21 is tripped by follower 20 on piston 10 as shown inFIGURE 1 it transfers from contact 73 to contact 74 thereby allowingcapacitor 68 to discharge through lines 75 and 76 and energizes coil 77of latching relay 71. At the same time current also passes from line 75through line 78, variable resistor 79, which can also be a conventionalresistor-capacitance time delay means well known in the art, and line 80to neutral line 81. The time period during which coil 77 is energized bythe discharging capacitor 68 can be varied by varying the resistanceinterposed by resistor 79 between lines 78 and 80. Since theenergization of coil 77 transfers switches 64, 69, and.70 to contacts82, 83, and 84, re-

spectively, this time period during which the discharging capacitorenergizes coil 77 also determines the time period during which relay 71is switched from its normal position.

4 to its normal position against contact 73 by movement of follower 20away from microswitch 21. Thus, although switch 21 is only temporarilyactuated and then released coil 77 remains energized for the full timeperiod which capacitor 68 is capable of energizing that coil.

Further, upon switching of latching relay 71 by e'ner-. gization of coil77, switch 70 moves against contact '84 thereby providing a circuitcomprising hot line'58, line 86, switch 70, line 87 and coil 88 to relay89. Thus, closure of switch 70 due to energization of coil 77 energizescoil 88 which in turn causes switch 90 to move from its normal positionagainst contact'91 into position against contact 92. Movement of switch90 against con tact 92 breaks the short circuit composed of line 93,switch 90 and line 94 about capacitor 95 of motor 26.

As explained above as one example of this invention motor 26 is thattype of motor which requires a capacitor between two of its windings inorder to operate and which, when that capacitor is removed from thecircuit, locks in position, i.e., dynamically brakes itself and holdsitself in that position until the capacitor is once again put into thecircuit. Therefore, by energization of coil 88 and opening of switch 90,capacitor 95 is put back into the circuit of motor 26 and therefore thatmotor starts into operation. Being a low revolution per minute motorshaft 27 turns slowly and therefore contact arm 43 moves along incontact with resistor 44 equally as slowly, causing an incrementalchange in resistance in series with motor 5 which in turn causes anincremental change in voltage to and torque from motor 5.

Capacitor 95 is maintained in circuit between lines 96 and 97 of motor26 until coil 88 is deenergized, at which time switch 90 automaticallyreturns against contact 91, by the movement of switch 70 off of contact84. The movement of switch 70 back to its normal position, as withswitches 64 and' 69, occurs automatically when coil 77 is deenergized bythe charge on capacitor 68 decaying to a point where it can no longeradequately activate or energize coil 77.

Thus, it can be seen that motor 26 will operate for a finite period oftime depending upon the charge on capacitor 68 and the rate at whichthat charge is allowed to decay through coil 77. Furthermore, it can beseen that the frequencies of the periods of operation of motor 26 aredetermined by the frequencies of actuation of switch 21 by follower 20on piston '10 of level winder 7. Therefore, as piston 10 moves away fromend 22 of section 9 to the opposite end of that section and then backagain to end 22, two layers of filament 16 are uniformly laid upon spool1 at which time switch 21 is actuated. Thus, after each two layers offilament are laid upon spool 1 switch 21 is actuated causing operationof motor 26 for a finite period of time. The operation of motor 26changes the voltage to and torque of motor 5. It can thus be seen thatthe torque output of motor 5 can be increased in direct relation to theamount of filament laid upon spool 1, which is an ultimate desiredresult of this invention.

When spool 1 is as full of filament 16 as desired, mo-

tor 5 is turned off and coil 50 deenergized which causes switches 52 and53 to automatically return to their normal positions aganst contacts 54and55. When this occurs current is passed through lines 59 and 100,switch 52, line 101, switch 31a; which is normally closed, i.e. againstcontact 102, and line 103 to energize coil1-0.4 of relay 105. Coil 104is connected to neutral lines 106, 81 and 107. When coil 104 isenergized switches 1 09 and are transferred from their normal positionsshown in FIGURE 2 against contacts 111 and 112.- When this occurscurrent passes from hot line 58 through lines 113 and 114, switch 109,and line 115 into line 97 thereby reversing the flow of current throughcapacitor 95 and motor 26 causing motor 26 to rotate in a reversedirection from before when coil 50 was energized. In order to operatemotor 26 by putting capacitor 95 in the circuit by energizing coil 88 asdiscussed above, current also passes through lines 113 and 120, switch110, contact 112, line 121 and line 126 to energize coil 88.

Thus, when coil 50 is deenergized upon turning ofi of motor 5 to removea full spool and replace same with an empty spool, coil 104 is energizedthereby causing switches 109 and 110 to move against contacts 111 and112 thereby energizing coil 88 and passing current to motor 26 throughline 97, both of which actions cause motor 26 to operate but in thereverse direction from which it operated when coil 88 was energized bycurrent passing through line 86, switch 70, and line 87. This rotationof motor 26 in a reverse direction causes arm 43 in contact withresistor 44 to also move in the reverse direction, i.e. move to a pointwhere the torque of motor 5 is that desired for an empty spool ratherthan the point upon which it ended up which was desired for a fullspool.

While motor 26 is being run in a reverse direction arm 32 (FIGURE 1)carried by shaft 27 is moved into contact with microswitches 31a and 31b(generally designated as 31 in FIGURE 1) in a conventional sequentialmanner.

Arm 32 first contacts switch 31b so that it moves against contact 125thereby closing the circuit comprising hot line 58, switch 3111, line126, and coil 88 so that coil 88 will remain energized even though arm32 after contacting switch 31b contacts switch 31a and opens same.Opening of switch 31a deenergizes coil 104 and allows switch 109 and 110to resume their normal positions against contact 127 and 128.

Since coil 88 remains energized through switch 31b, notwithstanding thefact that switch 31a is opened, motor 26 continues to run. However,since switch 109 is opened no current passes to the motor 26 throughline 97 but instead passes from hot line 58 through lines 113, 120,switch 110, and line 130 to line 96 thereby causing motor 26 to stopmoving in the reverse direction and begin again moving in the forwarddirection. This movement in the forward direction following theresetting movement in the reverse direction of motor 26 is utilized totake the slack out of gears 40 and 41 and other associated apparatus sothat when winding upon an empty spool begins and switch 21 is trippedafter two layers of filament are wound on spool 1 motor 26 and itsassociated apparatus are ready to respond immediately.

While motor 26 is moving forward again after the resetting reverserotation above described member 32 first returns switch 31b to itsnormally open position thereby deenergizing coil 88 causing switch 594)to move against contact 91, thereby bypassing capacitor 95 and stoppingthe forward rotation of motor 26.

This system is now prepared to go through a similar set of steps whilefilling a new spool with filament. When the first two layers of filamentare wound upon the new spool switch 21 is actuated thereby causing motor26 to rotate shaft 27 further in the forward position. Although line 101has no current therein because switch 52 has been moved against contact56 by the energization of coil 50 as described above, switch 31a isstill in the open position into which it was moved by arm 32 whilefilling the prior spool and arm 32 while being rotated forward duringthe filling of another spool resets switch 31a by moving same againstcontact 102 so that as soon as coil 50 is deenergized and switch 52moves against contact 54 coil 104 can be energized.

A suitable conventional arrangement for switch 31a and 31b is thatswitch 31a is a latching type switch which has to be reset by pressingthe reset button after the switch has once been opened and switch 311)is a microswitch biased so that its normal position is open and it willautomatically return to that position when not forced closed by arm 32.The arrangement of these switches then would be such that the actuatorarm for switch 31a will be contacted first by arm 32 but switch 31a willnot immediate- 1y be opened, rather the actuator arm for 31a will firstcontact the actuator arm for 31b at which time switch 31b will bepromptly closed. Upon a slight further move ment of the actuator arms ofswitch 31a and 31b in the same direction, switch 31a is then opened.Thereafter, when motor 26 is changed so as to again rotate in theforward direction the actuator arms of switches 31a and 31b will move inthe reverse direction but withdrawal of the actuator arm of switch 31awill allow the actuator arm of switch 31b to automatically resume itsnormally open position. Thereafter, while filling a new spool, furtherrotation in the forward direction of arm 32, the actuator arm of switch31a will, by a suitably arranged appendage therefrom, contact the resetbutton for switch 31a causing that switch to close against contact 102.

Reasonable variations and modifications are possible Within the scope ofthis disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

We claim:

1. A motor means, a support member attached to said motor means, acontroller attached to said motor means, said controller being adaptedto control the torque of said motor means in response to the amount ofmaterial wound upon said support member, said controller comprisingguide means for uniformly applying said material to said support member,a switch means, said guide means being adapted to temporarily actuatesaid switch means after a predetermined amount of said material has beenwound about said support member, a reversible, high slip motor capableof dynamically braking itself and of being stalled indefinitely in thebrake position, said high slip motor being operatively connected to thesaid first switch means, means for operating said high slip motor for afinite period of time after each temporary actuation of said switchmeans, adjustable means for controlling the power input to said motormeans, and means operatively connecting said high slip motor and saidadjustable means so that upon each operation of said high slip motorsaid adjustable means is adjusted to vary the power input to said motormeans in relation to the amount of material wound upon said supportmember.

2. A winding device wherein an elongate material is wound upon a supportmember, said winding device comprising a support member, a first motormeans connected to said support member, means connected to said firstmotor means for controlling the torque output of said first motor meansin response to an increasing amount of material wound upon said supportmember comprising level winding guide means for uniformly applying saidmaterial to said support member, said guide means being adapted toreciprocate along the length of said support member and therebyuniformly wind said filament upon said support member, a switch meanslocated at one end of the path of travel of said guide means and adaptedto be temporarily actuated by said guide means each time it reaches thelocation of said switch means, a reversible high slip motor capable ofdynamically braking itself and of being stalled indefinitely in thebrake position, said high slip motor being operatively connected to saidswitch means, means for operating said high slip motor for a finiteperiod of time after each temporary actuation of said switch means,adjustable electrical means for controlling the voltage input to saidfirst motor means, and electrical means operatively connecting said highslip motor and said adjustable means so that upon each operation of saidhigh slip motor said adjustable means is adjusted to increase thevoltage input to said first motor means thereby responding to theincreased amount of material wound upon said support member before saidswitch means is actuated.

3. A winding device wherein a filament is wound upon a spool, saidwinding device comprising a spool, a first motor means connected to saidspool, said spool being rotated by said first motor means, meansconnected to said first motor means for increasing the torque of saidfirst motor means in response to increasing amounts of filament beingwound upon said spool comprising reciprocating mounted guide means foruniformly applying successive layers of said filament to substantiallythe full length of said spool,

said guide means including a support member and a rotatable memberadapted to rotate said support member across which filament passes, saidguide means being adapted to move said rotatable support member alongthe full length of said spool, a first switch means located at one endof the path of travel of said guide means and adapted to be temporarilyactuated by said guide means each time said guide means moves into thearea of said first switch means, a substantially instantly reversible,high slip electric motor capable of dynamically braking itself and ofbeing stalled indefinitely in the brake position when at least oneelectrical component thereof is removed from its circuit, said high slipmotor being operatively connected to said first switch means, a secondswitch means operatively connected to said high slip motor and adaptedto remove at least one component of that motor from its circuit uponbeing tripped, a coil means associated with said second switch means andadapted to trip said switch means when energized, a capacitor meansoperatively conto a finite degree of rotation caused by said high slipmotorduring the finite period of time in which said capacitor means isdischarging through said coil means, thereby increasing the torque ofsaid first motor means by a finite increment each time said first switchmeans is actuated.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,912,187 11/1959 Rau 242-15842,981,491 4/1961 Eans 242-45 3,011,728 12/1961 Klinksiek 242158.4 X

STANLEY N. GILREATH, Primary Examiner.

20 N. L. MINTZ, Assistant Examiner.

